i scream, you scream...

we all scream for dairy-free ice cream!!!


i am not sure why but i am completely addicted to ice cream/frozen yogurt. i usually have no less than 4 different kinds in my freezer at any given moment. there is always at least one soy flavor (purely decadent is my preferred brand--check out the GLUTEN-FREE flavors!) and one frozen yogurt or light (lower in lactose) ice cream flavor. occasional guests include sorbet, trader joe's soy bars, fruit popsicles, or green tea mochi ice cream.

i had read about stogo, an organic dairy-free ice cream place in the east village, and mentally added it to my long list of dessert places to try. imagine my luck when i happened to have dinner right around the corner the other night! i made it clear that everyone was to get a different flavor, so that we could try as many as possible. the roundup:

• chocolate coconut (coconut milk based): sweet, rich, very chocolaty. smooth and deliciously creamy.
• salted caramel pecan (soy based): also rich, sweet and creamy but not a whole lot of salt going on...could have been better.
• there is also a picture of chocolate brownie above but since that isn't exactly wheat-free, i shall ignore it.

so if you're in need of a soy or coconut based frozen treat and don't trust yourself to go home with an entire pint, stogo is the perfect place to go! they even have some bakery items from babycakes...

friday night at whole foods

friday night, i concluded a rough week with an evening at whole foods. my surrogate big sister and blogger treated me to tea (jade cloud) and snack (gluten-free snickerdoodle). it was just what i needed to wrap up an otherwise stressful week. my cookie was delicious and it felt extra special because i rarely ever eat snickerdoodles. although gluten-free, the texture was good--light but not too crumbly. it was the first time i have noticed this brand but gilbert's gourmet goodies makes cookies and cookie dough without gluten, nuts, soy, milk, or corn. in addition to being sold at whole foods, they are also available here.

among other things, we ended up discussing soy. soy is controversial for environmental and health reasons, which is a complete bummer for those of use who are vegan, lactose intolerant, and/or insert other dairy free reason here. modern day soy consumption seems to have been revolutionized by silk, giving the soy milk market a delicious, readily available option. additionally, soy milk is the go-to milk alternative and is available in many restaurants and stores, so switching to another alternative seems intimidating. i drink and eat soy because of my lactose intolerance and other health issues. therefore, i have decided to switch my milk alternative at home to almond milk to cut back on the soy consumption, even if only just a little. a quick comparison:

silk light plain (1 cup)
70 calories
20 calories from fat
2g fat
30% calcium and vitamin d

almond breeze unsweetened original (1 cup)
40 calories
30 calories from fat
3g fat
20% calcium, 25% vitamin d

and if you're looking for a friday night hotspot, union square whole foods might just be the place.